Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Oct 15: Thousands of people gathered at Mahaveer circle, Pumpwell here on Thursday October 15 to raise a united voice against the controversial Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project.
The protestors sat on dharna and shouted slogans demanding the withdrawal of the project. By 12.30 pm, they were detained by the police and normal traffic was restored.
Addressing the protest, Dr Niranjan Rai of Netravati Nadi Samrakshana Okkuta said, "Our house has caught fire and we are here to douse it. We are here irrespective of religion, caste and creed with the sole intention of saving the Netravati river. This is not the end of our struggle, but the beginning.
"Our river and our culture are under threat. We should unite to save Tulunadu. The government has filed an affidavit in the Green Tribunal stating that we do not have the right to our river. Why is the government fooling the people? We are united here without any political influence and we will not indulge in politics either.
"We are not against providing drinking water to anyone but against the project which is harmful to this district. Let us unitedly work to save the Netravati river. We elected political represenatives to provide us securty and future. The government should not mislead the people. The government did not bother to consult us while finalizing the project and it is taking the issue lightly. We will continue our struggle till the project is dropped," he asserted.
Former MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty said, "Youth should get ready to fight for this cause. In 2011 when we met the then CMs Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar, we had asked them not to go ahead with this project and they had asured they would not do so without consulting the people of DK. Even when the next government came to power, we met chief minister Siddaramaiah and ministers Ramanath Rai and M B Patil and requested them to consult the people of DK but they did not care to do so. I am here because of the people.
"Deputy commissioner recently held a meeting, but it was just an eyewash. In the union government report it is stated that the project should not be done without consulting the people, hence it is the responsibility of the government to so. In every situation the state government is keeping DK and Udupi aside, despite the fact that DK brings the highest income to the government and we have the capacity to demand a separate state," he added.
"This protest has my full support. Already MCC has passed a resolution against the project and all gram panchayats will also do so. This water is not for Siddaramaiah's house. Here people, fishermen and farmers will suffer if the river dries up," he said, adding that MLA J R Lobo and MLC Ivan D'Souza are the only representatives who raised a voice in the Assembly and the Council.
Sri Esha Vittaldasa Swamiji of Kemar Math said, "All the people of Tulunadu have awakened and hence we are here. This fight against this project has united all Tuluvas irrespective of caste and religion. The painful thing is that government has treated the coastal region as a laboratory for experiments. There are many unwanted projects and even as we fight against them, we have one more coming up. Stop this project or we will lay siege to Vidhana Soudha."
Sri Rajashekarananda Swamiji of Vajradehi Math, "The government should know whose pockets will be filled by this project. Siddaramaiah has come to the district many times but he has never spoken on this project."
All College Students' Union president Dinakar Shetty said, "Do not try to curb this struggle. This project is a result of vested political interests of two leaders. These leaders will be cursed by the people of this district."
M G Hegde said "The coastal region is like our mother. This protest is a warning bell to the government. Irrespective of caste and creed people have joined hands to protest. In future we will flow like river Netravati - this is a challenge to the government. In future we may also demand for a separate state, as this project will also affect Tulu civilization."
Dinesh Holla, Rahim Uchil, Odiyoor Swamiji and others also spoke on the occasion.